Index



(No Model.)

J. E. SPEARS. INDEX.

No. 521,324. Patented June 12, 1894.

ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN EVARTS SPEARS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,324, dated June 12, 1894.

Application filed September 21, 1893- Serial No. 486,110. (No model.) K

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN EVARTS SPEARS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Indexes, of which the following is a specification.

Book-keepers usually place the ledger or other book which is being written into, upon the right, and the index containing the names alphabetically, is placed upon the left and it is often convenient to turn the pages of the index with the left hand. Almost all ledger indexes have been made with the letters of the alphabet at the right edge of the index book as the same lies open. In some instances, however, the cover of the index has I been marked with the letters of the alphabet upon the outer surface of the back cover, and in other instances the alphabetical letters have been placed at the bottom of the index book.

My present invention is made with reference to giving increased facility in manipulating the index book by either the right or the left hand, and with this object in view, I provide at the top of the book, projecting tags placed at a slight inclination, so that the upper corners stand out separately from the next tags, and hence the fingers can be applied to the corners in lifting the tag and the sheet to which the tag is connected, and I prefer to apply the alphabetical letters to both surfaces of the tags, so that they can be read and handled from either side of the book,

and I apply to the outer edges of the sheets, tags, with the letters of the alphabet upon them, so that they can be grasped by the fingers of either hand, to allow the book to be turned in either direction, and I apply upon the inner surface of the front cover, a strip of cardboard or similar thick material parallel with the edge of the cover, which serves to elevate the edges of the sheets sufficiently to give access for the fingers beneath the tags that project from the edges of the sheets, and by which such sheets are turned in opening the index at the proper place.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a plan .view of an index book as the same lies open and the tags are represented in their respective po sitions, and Fig.2, is a cross section of the book as it lies open, representing the tags and the strip that elevates the outer edges of the sheets. 1

The index book is composed of any desired number of sheets, 5, there being either one or more sheets to each letter of the alphabet, and these sheets are bound togetheras usual at the back and provided with covers, 6, which are of a sufficient size to inclose the sheets, and preferably the edges of the cover extend beyond the ends of the tags.

The tags, 2, '2, are applied to the outer edges of the sheets, and these tags are preferably made of strong paper, cloth or similar material folded double and lapping upon the front and back surfaces of each sheet, and the letters of the alphabet are printed upon these tags, so that they come in succession, but it will be noticed that the alphabet commences at the back of the book, that is to say, the letter A, is applied to the sheet or sheets adjacent to the back cover of the book, and the letter Z, to the sheet or sheets adjacent to the front cover of the book. This is a great advantage in manipulating the index by the left hand, because as the book lies open at the left side of the person who may be writing in a ledger or other book with the right hand, such person handles the tags on the index sheets with the left hand, and the edges of the index sheets are raised up from the front cover of the book by the strip, 4, of thick card board, or other suitable material, which is applied along the inner surface of the front cover and near the edge thereof, as seen in Fig. 2. I find it advantageous to apply the letters of the alphabet upon both surfaces of the tags, 2, so that all the letters are visible when the book is open, and in this manner it is unnecessary to turn the index leaves all in one direction or the other direction before selecting the desired one, as the desired letter can be selected while the book lies open with the leaves separated at any portion thereof.

The tags 3, are applied at the upper edges of the index sheets, and instead of standing at right angles to the edges of the sheets, such tags are placed at an inclination, and in consequence of each tag being made of folded paper, the square fold in the paper at the top end of the tag causes one corner of the tag to project beyond the top edge of the next tag,

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so that the corner is easily pressed by the finger in graspingthe sheets to turn the same to the desired letter of the index, and it is advantageous to apply the letters of the alphabet to both surfaces of the tags 3, so that the letters of the alphabet upon the tags 3, are

always visible no matter where the book may have been opened.

I claim as my invention v 1. An index book,havinga cover and sheets, and tags fastened to the edges of the sheets and projecting, and containing the letters of the alphabet, such tags being placed at an ners project, in combination with a second set of tags projecting at the outer edges of the sheets and havingalphabet letters on each surface substantially as specified.

3. An indexboolghavinga cover and sheets, and tags fastened to the edges of the sheets and projecting, and containing the letters of the alphabeton each of their surfaces, such tags being placed at an inclination to the top edges of the sheets to cause one corner of each tag to project beyond the end of the next tag to facilitate the handling of the tags and the turning of the sheets, substantially as setforth.

3S Signed by me this 18th day of September,

J. EvAR'rs SPEARS.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, W. G. Mom. 

